Stephen Curry has more Chinese nicknames than any player...photo-15017174.181277 - |ucfirst

Like Curry, Rockets superstar James Harden has a numerous nicknames in China:

He's best known as "Big Beard" (大胡子), which makes sense. Another frequently used moniker is "Godden" (神登) — "God" plus the character for the last syllable of his name. "Godden sounds similar in Chinese to the word for "magic lamp," resulting in word plays involving genies.

"Fat Mamba" (肥曼巴), because he's perceived as a heavier, slower version of Kobe Bryant.

"Free Throw Mamba" (罚曼巴), which alludes to his unequalled ability to get to the free throw line.

Like Curry, Rockets superstar James Harden has a numerous...photo-15527699.181277 - |ucfirst

Chris Paul:

The Rockets' other star guard is known as "Cannon" (炮, Pao), because "Paul" sounds like Chinese word for artillery piece, "pao." Together Harden and Paul are collectively called "Light Bulb" (灯炮) — the Chinese word you get when you combine "lamp" (灯) and "cannon" (炮).

Chris Paul :
The Rockets' other star guard is known as...photo-15526126.181277 - |ucfirst

Draymond Green:

The Warriors' best defensive player is known as "Chasing Dreams" (追梦, Zhui Meng) because that's what his name sounds like in Chinese. "Chasing Dreams" may also allude to his success after being picked 35th in the NBA Draft.

The Rockets sensational center is called the "Pancake Emperor” (饼皇) because in Chinese slamming home alley-oop lob passes is called "eating pancakes" (吃饼). Paul and Harden, as the lob passers, are known as the "Pancake Makers" (做饼人). Steve Kerr had better design a anti-breakfast defense, or else the Warriors could get battered.

"Round Face Gordon" (圆脸登) because his face supposedly describes a perfect circle. He's also known by the similar "Pi Mamba" (π曼巴). The joke is that his perfect-circle face can be used used to accurately calculate the value of pi.

"Gaffe God" (囧神). The first character 囧 means window, but it is now used as an emoji (embarrassed and apologetic face). Despite his mostly exemplary play for the Warriors, the Chinese apparently still view McGee as something of a buffoon, thanks in part to Shaquille O'Neal's criticism of the Warriors center.

"Coffin Mamba" (棺曼巴), which also translates as "Undead Mamba" or "Vampire Mamba." The name derives from Iguodala's uncanny ability to step up his game dramatically when the games matter the most. As Kapur writes, "Chinese fans feel he plays like an old man in the regular season, but then suddenly comes back to life in the playoffs."